Analyzing Our Daily Lives: Part 1
by angelkittysmith
Summary: During the fall of 2017, Sarah, James, and Henri have weekly discussions with me about our daily lives. We look back at moments from our childhood, and compare them to our daily lives now. Several episodes of the series are used as references to the story. NOTE: I do not own Liberty's Kids.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Night at the Mistles' House

One cool and rainy Saturday in early September 2017, I drove up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri to the Mistles' house in East Liberty. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Why don't you guys join us for some pizza?" Emily offered. Emily was one of my best friends, along with her older brother, Michael and younger sister, Erin. Emily was eating chicken-pesto pizza, Michael was eating BBQ Yardbird pizza, Erin was eating Farmers' Market pizza, and I, of course, was eating Hawaiian pizza. Emily ordered Sarah, James, and Henri a regular cheese pizza from Pizza Fiesta. "So glad that you guys could come over," Emily happily stated. "Emily and I have been friends since May," I told my friends. "That is 1 whole session." "Yeah, and we were best friends for 15 years," Sarah added. "Wow," Emily remarked. "That long?" "Yes, and it was at Sarah and James's parents' wedding at Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church," I told everyone. "I was so excited to have Sarah as a stepsister," James remembered. "So was I," Henri agreed. "Emily has been working with me ever since I graduated from Edinboro University," I added. "Didn't we have our awards banquet at that exact same church, Sarah?" James asked. "Yes, we did," Sarah replied. "There was no pizza to eat at the banquet," Henri added. "Just spaghetti and salad." "You didn't like salad at the time though, Henri," I pointed out. "Well then, thank goodness there is no salad with this pizza," Henri stated, "even though spaghetti sauce is the same sauce on pizza." "We had another fun activity for you guys to do tonight," Emily told us, "but we won't be able to do it tonight since the weather is not all that great." "What was it?" Sarah asked. "Well Sarah," I explained, "it was a scavenger hunt through Garfield where we had to look for many different things." Instead, I showed Sarah, James, and Henri all the pictures that I took: all three Pittsburgh sports team memorabilia (Pirates, Penguins, and Steelers), a wall mural, a sculpture, a chair or other item saving a parking spot, a restaurant, a tattoo shop, flowers, a bike station, an exercise facility, someone walking their dog, an arcade, a place of worship, a coffee shop, a medical facility or doctor's office, a convenience store, a bank or atm, a bus stop, a pub or bar, and an area with grass or a park. Michael and Erin soon joined us. "Hey guys, what's up?" Michael asked. "Oh nothing much," I replied. "Some of my friends are here." "Would you guys like to play a game?" Erin asked. "We have lots of games that you guys can play." "Do you have Apples to Apples?" James asked. "I love that game." "We sure do," Michael replied. "What is with the graham crackers and chocolate bars?" Henri asked. "We are making s'mores for the kids to eat," Erin told us. "Do you want some?" "No thanks, Erin," I replied. "I baked a key lime pie to share with my friends." "Well, you guys have fun," Emily told me. "I am going to toast some marshmallows in the microwave." Emily left and we started our game of Apples to Apples. I ended up winning the game. After our game, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back to Mom's apartment. "Thanks for a great evening, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Importance of Health

On a pleasant second Saturday of September 2017, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. James was cooking waffles and juice for breakfast. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "You're just in time for a nice waffle breakfast," James told me. James served us breakfast as we all sat down at the table. "This reminds me of the day we went to the baseball game at my high school, and it reminded me of exactly what I ate for breakfast," James told us. "Let me guess... waffles?" Henri asked. "Uh-huh, and juice to drink," James added. "Don't forget some healthy sides, like turkey bacon and fresh fruit salad," Sarah pointed out. "Especially since they sold lots of unhealthy snacks and beverages at the ball game." "What about the time we sold lemonade on an unseasonably hot day in spring, James?" Henri asked. "Yeah, way too much sugar," Sarah pointed out, "and I didn't want to help sell the lemonade anyway since it was too hot, and I needed to stay inside and do homework." "If I'm not mistaken, and I'm not, didn't we order Chinese food to eat for dinner that day?" I asked. "We sure did," James replied. "Chinese food is not exactly healthy, either," Sarah pointed out. "Well, it all depends on what kind you get," I added. "Although when we were kids and teenagers, our health was not always the best, so why do you think we should look back on our health?" "So we could live a better life both physically and mentally," Sarah replied. "So there are no problems down the road and we are proactive," James added. "To inform doctors," Henri pointed out. "It also teaches us what not to do," Sarah added. "It teaches us good habits," James pointed out. "We can also be curious about the world and ourselves," Henri chimed in. "Now, those are all good reasons to talk about health," I agreed. "The eight types of health include physical, spiritual, intellectual, financial, mental, social, environmental, and occupational." "What types of health do you need to work on, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "I need to work on physical and social health since I gained a lot of weight over the spring and summer," I told my friends. "Social health is also beneficial in order for me to understand people better." "If it makes you feel better, I need to work on social health too because I had a lot of problems with social anxiety back in middle school, such as getting to know people at the baseball game and not wanting to go outside in the hot weather," Sarah told me. "I need to work on both social and financial health, such as how I talked to people at the baseball game and when I sold lemonade," James told me. "Financial health is also important so I can keep track of how much I make and spend, like for snacks and souvenirs at the baseball game and selling lemonade and using the money to buy Chinese dinner afterward." "Financial health was also important to me because I was not able to keep track of how much money we sold selling lemonade," Henri pointed out. "Physical health was important because I ordered pork fried rice for dinner." "Ugh," I remarked. "Anything fried is bad for you." "I also need to work on environmental health because I get crazy selling things in hot weather, because it seems like I always have better things to do," Henri added. "Going back to Chinese food, would you guys rather go to a Chinese restaurant and order some healthy Chinese food, or would you rather go to my mom's apartment and choose some healthier versions of the Chinese food that you guys ate?" "I would rather go to your mom's apartment because a Chinese restaurant hardly ever serves anything healthy," James pointed out. "I need to find a healthier recipe of sweet and sour chicken." "I especially need to find a healthier recipe for pork fried rice," Henri added. "Did you have Chinese food that night, or not?" I asked Sarah. "All I had was some steamed chicken and broccoli," Sarah replied. "Now, that doesn't sound too bad," I told Sarah. "I could make some ginger sesame green bean stir-fry," I continued. After we decided to go to my mom's apartment in Highland Park, a bus showed up outside the apartment. "I think it's time for me to go home now," I told my friends. "Thanks for a great morning!" "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Eating Habits

On a warm third Saturday of September 2017, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park to cook healthier versions of hamburgers and French fries. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "We are cooking burgers and fries for dinner tonight," I told my friends. "Do you want some?" "Sure," James replied. "I also made some feta-mint dip for you guys to have snacks in after dinner," I told everyone. "Mmm," Henri stated. "That sounds yummy!" We cooked lightened bacon cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries. Then, we each had a snack with our dip. I ate apple slices, Sarah ate carrot sticks, James ate celery sticks, and Henri ate Wheat Thins crackers. "While we munch on some healthy snacks, let's take a look at a food diary we remember, whether it be long ago or recently," I suggested. "James, why don't you go first?" "Okay," James agreed. "The day I practiced juggling when I was 14 years old, I ate French toast and hard-boiled eggs for breakfast, Cheez-Its for a snack, a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for lunch, peanut butter and celery for a snack, and a hamburger and French fries from McDonald's." "Juggling?" I asked. "Now, in case I have this wrong, you had trouble learning how to juggle when you had the Cheez-Its for a snack, but could concentrate better when you ate the celery sticks and peanut butter." Sarah shared her food diary next. "On the day of James's 16th birthday, I ate a bowl of Kashi Go Lean! cereal and a glass of milk, a fruit salad, a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat with carrot sticks, Oreo cookies, 2 pieces of Pepperoni Lover's Pan Pizza, and a piece of James's chocolate birthday cake." Henri shared his food diary from Thursday at the Woodland Hills Open House. "This past Thursday, I ate cereal and milk with orange juice, a Hershey's milk chocolate candy bar for a snack, peanut butter and jelly on Wheat Thins crackers and an apple for lunch, nuts for a snack, and chicken, rice, carrot sticks, peas, and oatmeal cookies for dessert." It was finally my turn to share my food diary from Thursday. "I ate French toast for breakfast, a roast beef sandwich with pesto and goat cheese for lunch, an All-American hamburger with French fries for dinner, peanut butter and strawberry preserves on graham crackers for a snack, a smoothie for a beverage, and several other snacks at Emily's surprise party, such as Oreo cookies, Cheez-Its, Hershey's candy bars, Nutter Butter cookies, pretzels, M&Ms, fruit salad, and of course, Emily's birthday cake." I paused for a second. "Do we have anything in common?" I asked my friends. "We all eat a lot of snacks, especially when we are bored," Sarah pointed out. "That's right, Sarah," I agreed. "Does anybody know what factors influence what and how much we eat?" "I would say boredom, what people around us are eating, special occasions, and what we do at places like work and school," Sarah suggested. "Which was the case on James's birthday." "And on Emily's birthday, too," I added. "I would say who is buying the food, the method we can store and cook food, what tools we have to prepare the foods, and what skills we have in the kitchen," James suggested. "Which was the case when I was learning to juggle, and I did not have much time to prepare healthy snacks." "How about you, Henri?" I asked. "Can you think of any factors that influence what and how much we eat?" "I would say illness, medications, the time of year, and ads and the media," Henri suggested. "Such as the Open House I attended on Friday." "Well, I think some important factors include the amount of water we drink, our mental health, meaning when we feel down, we eat more, our spiritual health, meaning religions have certain foods they cannot eat, our financial health, meaning the amount of money we have influences the quality and amount of what we buy," I told my friends. "I am not sure if all of this had an influence on me at Emily's surprise party this Thursday, or what?" "I would say so, Angel," Sarah told me. "It seems like you were influenced by Emily's younger siblings, and they ate way too much junk food at the party. Only Kerry was eating sensibly with the fruit salad. How old is Kerry?" "She is almost 17," I replied. "Although it seems like we do like a lot of the same foods, like French toast, fruit salad, peanut butter and jelly on crackers, and hamburgers and French fries." "I also have photos of food that influence people," James added. We then went to our computers and smart phones to research each of the four food groups. I researched the milk and dairy product group, Sarah researched the fruit and vegetable group, James researched the meat and protein group, and Henri researched the grain group. Henri went first, telling us everything he knew about the grain group. "Grains provide fiber which helps digest food, lower cholesterol, reduces risk of chronic disease like heart disease, B vitamins, minerals like iron, which carries oxygen in our blood, magnesium, which builds our bones and releases energy from our muscles, and selenium, which provides a healthy immune system. It is important to choose whole grains because we feel full with less calories. We are supposed to eat 6 servings per day which is 3 to 8 ounces, and half of these should be whole grain. Some sample foods that belong to this food group include bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereal, tortillas, grits, brown rice, popcorn, and of course, my favorite snack in the whole wide world- Wheat Thins crackers!" Henri dipped a cracker into the feta-mint dip and ate it. "Good job, Henri," I remarked. "Now, it's your turn, Sarah." Sarah told us everything she knew about the fruit and vegetable group. "First, I will start with vegetables. Vegetables provide vitamins A, C, E, selenium, folic acid, and minerals, maintain blood pressure, which is good for our hearts, are good for red blood cells which lower our risk of anemia, and has a small amount of protein good for our muscles, like spinach and kale. We are supposed to eat 1-4 cups per day, which equal 3-4 servings of vegetables. Some sample foods that belong to this food group include eggplant, spinach, peppers, kale, squash, cucumbers, peas, beans, tomatoes, corn, mushrooms, and my top 3 favorite vegetables- broccoli, celery, and carrots." Sarah dipped a carrot stick into the feta-mint dip and ate it before she went on to talk about fruits. "Fruits provide vitamins like C, fiber, minerals, antioxidants, carbs, water, are good for our hearts, helps fuel our brains, increases our body's resistance to diseases, makes us feel full, and provides our bodies with energy. We are supposed to eat 4 servings per day. Some sample foods that belong to this food group include watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, pomegranates, lemons, limes, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, pineapple, tomato, and my top 3 favorite fruits- grapes, bananas, and apples." James took his turn to tell us everything he knew about the meat and protein group. "Proteins provide good cholesterol like in eggs and fish, as well as omega-3s, which are also found in fish, can also provide excess amounts, such as too much saturated fat and cholesterol, but helps build, maintain, and repair our muscles. Women are supposed to eat 5-5.5 ounces per day, and men are supposed to eat 5.5-6 ounces per day. Some sample foods that belong to this food group include seafood, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, eggs, and meat, like pork, beef, chicken, and ham." James dipped a celery stick into the feta-mint dip and ate it. Finally, I took my turn to tell my friends everything I knew about the milk and dairy product group. "Milk and dairy products provide a good source of calcium, are an important source of vitamins A, B12, and D, and provide some protein and iron. We are supposed to eat 3 cups per day of this group. Some sample foods that belong to this food include cheese, ice cream, yogurt, milk, and pudding." I dipped an apple slice into the feta-mint dip and ate it. "So, our meal included whole-grain buns from the bread and cereal group, ground sirloin from the meat and protein group, sharp cheddar cheese from the milk and dairy group, sweet potato fries, as well as lettuce and tomato from the fruit and vegetable group," I told my friends. "James, can you also show us how to bake those whole-grain waffles we ate for breakfast last week?" Of course," James replied. "We can't do it next week, but we can do it the following week when I actually have all the stuff to make waffles." "That's okay," I replied. "Next week, we can talk about something else that is good for us to do to maintain physical health other than eating healthy foods." "Sounds like a plan," Sarah agreed. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening and dinner, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Exercising Habits

On a hot Saturday in late September 2017, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. Sarah was cooking a yummy cobb salad lunch. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Is it okay if I have some cobb salad with you guys?" I asked. "Sure," James replied. "Guess what I had for a snack today?" I asked my friends. "What?" Henri asked. "Yogurt," I replied. "From the milk and dairy product group." "Mmm, that sounds yummy," Henri remarked. "What did you guys have for a mid-morning snack?" I then asked. "Let me guess... Sarah- carrot sticks, James- hard-boiled eggs, Henri- Wheat Thins crackers." "That's correct, Angel," James replied. "We have some left over if you want some," Sarah offered. "Sure, we could eat some of those," I agreed. "Why not?" We then sat down to eat lunch. "How did you guess some of those snacks correctly?" James asked me. "I just remembered each of our favorite food groups, that's all," I told James. "I like milk and dairy products, you like meat and protein, Sarah likes fruits and vegetables, and Henri likes grains." "Wow, you have such a good memory, Angel," Sarah remarked. "Eating healthy foods is just one way to maintain physical health," I informed my friends. "Do you guys know another way?" "What's that, Angel?" Henri asked. "Exercise, of course," I told my friends. "Now, can we discuss what our physical movement looks like?" "What do you mean by that, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "What I am asking you guys is how do you stay active right now?" I asked. "I take walks around the neighborhood as an example." "I like to help walk other people's dogs," Henri told me. "I work out at home and run around the neighborhood," Sarah stated. "And, I like to go to the gym," James replied. "I used to do martial arts as a kid," Henri told us. "That's cool, Henri," I remarked. "Gee, I remember how afraid I was to exercise back in middle school," Sarah recalled. "I remember," I agreed. "What was the point of physical education, anyway?" Sarah asked me. "To help you learn more about your body and take care of it better," I replied. "Boy was I not very active at the age of 13!" "What do you think were maybe some barriers that kept you from being as active back then as you are now?" I asked my friend. "Well, I was always ashamed and embarrassed about being in a public place, I did not always have much time, I put exercise off due to other distractions around me, I always ended up getting injuries that resulted in some health issues, I was not very good at the exercises, and I did not have the money to afford memberships or equipment," Sarah explained to me. "Can you guys think of some ways I could have overcame my barriers as a teenager?" "You could have used a household item to exercise, such as the stairs, a water bottle, carrying your shopping home, or walking your pets, as well as exercising at home and setting a goal to motivate yourself," Henri suggested. "I would say joining a group, making a motivational soundtrack, or going with a friend like me," I added. "Well, I would suggest setting a scheduled time to exercise if you are realistic, and if you have an injury, improvise or find an alternate way to exercise, and schedule healthy doctor visits to prevent future illness," James advised his stepsister. "I would officially define exercise as bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness," I informed everyone. "Again, I still didn't understand why we had to take physical education in middle school," Sarah told us, "and why is exercise so important for our minds and bodies?" "Well, exercise controls your weight, reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers," I told Sarah. "Exercise also strengthens your bones and muscles and improves your mental health and mood, meaning that you are more confident, and your self-esteem is boosted," James added. "Exercise also improves your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls if you are an older adult and also increases your chances of living longer," Henri chimed in. "Oh, I understand now," Sarah remarked. "Because the day of my 8th grade history exam, do you know what class I had right before the exam?" "No, what?" I asked. "Physical education," Sarah informed us. "Not to mention, right after my lunch break, I took a walk around the courtyard to help remember what I studied and relieved my stress, and I did the same thing in physical education, as well." "That's impressive, Sarah," I remarked. "Thank you, Angel," Sarah replied. "As for the infamous guy who cheated off of my history exam, Nathan Hale... well, let's not go there, shall we?" "I guess he didn't exercise much before the test, did he?" Henri asked. "Like I said, let's not go there!" "Either way, we are all very proud of you, Sarah," James remarked. "I'm especially proud of you, Sarah," I praised my friend. "Come here and give me a hug!" Sarah and I hugged. We then went to our computers and smart phones to research a type of exercise that we all liked to do. I researched swimming, Sarah researched yoga, James researched rock climbing, and Henri researched tae kwon do. James went first, telling us everything he knew about rock climbing. "Rock climbing is an activity in which participants climb up, down, and around natural formations or artificial rock walls. The benefits of rock climbing are that it builds muscle and endurance, works all major muscle groups, increases flexibility and range of motion, increases mental strength by navigate routes, decreases stress, burns calories, prevents chronic disease, offers breathtaking sights, conquers fears, and challenges yourself. For rock climbing in Pittsburgh, I like to go to either ASCEND which costs 16 dollars a day for a pass, 4 dollars for shoes, a dollar for a chalk bag or 60 dollars a month, or the Climbing Wall, which costs 12 dollars a day for a pass, also 4 dollars for shoes and a dollar for a chalk bag or 65 dollars a month." "Good job, James," I remarked. "Now, it's your turn, Sarah." Sarah told us everything she knew about yoga. "Yoga involves different types of stretches and poses, and there are different styles of yoga for beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The benefits of yoga are that it is self healing, provides strength, awareness, and harmony, increases flexibility and muscle strength, provides faster metabolism, and shapes your mind and concentration. For yoga in Pittsburgh, I like to go to either Yoga Hive, which costs 25 dollars for 25 days, Yoga Factory, which costs 29 dollars per month for students or 16 dollars for a single session or Exhale Yoga, which costs 50 dollars per month for unlimited yoga sessions or 15 dollars for a single session." Henri took his turn to tell us everything he knew about tae kwon do. "Tae kwon do is a kind of martial art, also known as a mostly unarmed combat where you use your body as a weapon. The benefits of tae kwon do are that it boosts your confidence, self-discipline, and reflexes, focuses your power, and boosts your fitness. For tae kwon do in Pittsburgh, I like to go to either North Hills ATA, Young Brothers, or Kim's Martial Arts and Fitness, also known as CS Kim Karate when I was younger. As for the prices, people would ask for my information to give me offers. Finally, I took my turn to tell my friends everything I knew about swimming. "Swimming is where you move through the water. The benefits of swimming are that it is good for your mind and body, manages weight, reduces your stress levels, raises your self-esteem, boosts your mood, strengthens your muscles, has a low impact, improves your sleep, is sweat-free, and lowers your risk for diseases. For swimming in Pittsburgh, I like to go to either one of the local YMCAs, health clubs, or outdoor pools during the summer. As for the prices, I would have to know the cost of a YMCA membership." "I want to try exercising right now," Sarah told us. "Well Sarah," James informed her, "there is this gym I like to work at on the South Side called Iron City Circus Arts. We can go there sometime if you want." "We're still making waffles next weekend, right, James?" I asked James. "Yes, we are, Angel," James replied. "Sarah and I will go grocery shopping for everything we need on Friday." "I will also make sure to get the fruit salad recipe from Kerry this week when I see her at the Pirates game," I promised. "Can we go to Iron City Circus Arts the following weekend?" Sarah asked. "Yeah, it would be lots of fun," Henri agreed. "Sure," James agreed. "We will go to Iron City Circus Arts to exercise the weekend after next." A bus then showed up outside the apartment. "I guess I should be going home now," I told my friends. "Thanks for a great afternoon!" "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Preparing a Healthy Breakfast

The last Saturday in September 2017 was pleasantly cool when I met Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. We were all getting ready to prepare a healthy and delicious breakfast, featuring foods from all 4 food groups. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Did you get the fruit salad recipe from Kerry?" "I sure did," I replied, handing the recipe to Sarah. "Hmm... apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries, cherries, and watermelon," Sarah read to herself. "Those all sound like tasty fruits to eat." "They sure are," I agreed. Sarah got a knife out and began chopping the fruit. Meanwhile, James was cooking center-cut bacon in the microwave and hard-boiled eggs on the stove. "I see you are cooking one of your favorite things to eat for breakfast, James," I noticed. "I sure am, Angel," James agreed. "Even center-cut bacon is healthy, and it is certainly better than sausage!" James also peeled the hard-boiled eggs in a bowl with cold water, separating the eggs and shells. Henri was just sitting and watching. "Would you like to help us cook some waffles, Henri?" I offered. "No thanks," Henri replied. "I think you, Sarah, and James will be okay doing all the work." Sarah, James, and I got out a waffle iron to cook our waffles in. James made a batch of whole-wheat waffles, while I made a batch of regular white waffles. Sarah helped both of us by reading the recipe out loud to us. Besides the waffle iron, we needed 2 eggs, 1 3/4 cups of skim milk, 1/4 cup of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 1/2 cups of whole-wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and toppings of our choice, such as warmed pure maple syrup or fruit for breakfast. To make the waffles, we first preheated our waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, we whisked together the eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon, and baking soda until they were well combined. We added in our flour, baking powder, and salt and whisked everything together just until the large lumps disappeared. When the waffle iron turned hot, we dabbed it with a little butter and then ladled some batter onto the center of the iron. We followed the instructions that came with our waffle makers to know how long our waffles should be cooked. We made sure to keep our waffles warm until we finished cooking all of them. There were also a choice of toppings offered, from maple syrup, butter, and walnuts, to reduced-sugar orange marmalade and fat-free whipped topping. Henri came over to sit down at the table. James was getting ready to set the table. The fruit salad, bacon, eggs, and waffles were set in the center of the table. I made sure to put the yogurt and milk right beside everything else, as they were very important dairy products. "My parents always told me when I was younger that breakfast is the most important meal of the day," I told my friends. "Do you want to know why?" "Because it gives you energy for the day's activities," James stated. "It is important to include all of the food groups at breakfast time," Sarah added. "A healthy breakfast can prevent you from eating unhealthy foods later on," Henri pointed out. "Henri makes a good point," I agreed. "Can you think of some examples from your childhood where breakfast determined what you ate for the rest of the day?" "At Molly's Sweet 16 party, they served all sorts of junk food besides pizza for dinner and Molly's birthday cake," Sarah told me, "such as chips and dip, candy, and soda." "To make matters worse, you were not even invited to that party, Sarah," James added. "Yeah right," Sarah agreed. "If I were throwing a party, I would serve healthy food and healthy food only!" "I think some healthy choices of things to eat include celery, carrots, fruit salad, and cheese cubes," I suggested. "Maybe just half a slice of pizza instead of a whole piece," Sarah added. "So Henri," I asked my friend, "which waffles do you like better: wheat or white?" "Wheat for the run," Henri replied. "I remember being forced to eat whole-wheat waffles at 9 years old on the day of Halloween, and then, when it came time to hand out the candy, I ended up wanting some." "That's not good, Henri," James pointed out. "Yes, Henri," Sarah agreed. "You should have listened and eaten your breakfast so this wouldn't have happened." "Would you like to have some of the leftover fruit for a snack?" I asked my best friend. "Sure," Sarah replied. "Apples, bananas, and grapes are your top 3 favorite fruits," I remembered. "That's right," Sarah agreed. "My top 3 favorite fruits are cherries, blueberries, and strawberries," I told my friend. "Those taste good, but I like fruits that you can eat all year round," Sarah pointed out. "What do you think of my top 3 favorite vegetables: green beans, broccoli, and potatoes?" I asked Sarah. "I would not consider potatoes a vegetable," Sarah replied, "more likely as a starch." "You like broccoli, celery, and carrots though, right?" I asked my friend. "Correct, Angel," Sarah agreed. "Those are my top 3 favorite vegetables." I love getting protein from bacon and eggs, too," James pointed out. "And calcium from my milk and vanilla yogurt," I added. "Now, I know that whole-grain waffles are better for me than regular white waffles," Henri stated. "And, they taste better, too," I added. We then cleaned up the table from our breakfast. "After our healthy breakfast, I plan to eat a roast beef sandwich with pesto and goat cheese, a frozen pizza dinner, and an ice cream sundae," I told everyone. "I promise you guys, they are all healthy." A bus showed up outside the apartment. "I guess I better get going now," I told my friends. "Thanks for a great morning and breakfast, everyone!" "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Iron City Circus Arts

One hot Saturday in early October, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. As promised, James took Sarah, Henri, and me to Iron City Circus Arts on the South Side to do some exercise. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Ready to go to Iron City Circus Arts?" James asked us. "You bet we are, James," I replied. "It looks like somebody is enthusiastic about exercising," James noticed. "We all are, James," Henri agreed. "Are we going to do any yoga poses?" Sarah asked. "I love yoga poses." "We'll probably do something a little more exciting than that, Sarah," James told his stepsister. We all got in James's car and James drove us to Iron City Circus Arts. He ran into his old girlfriend from high school, Sybil. "Sybil, I didn't know that you were going to be here," James remarked. "Well, I'm here, James," Sybil pointed out. "I also have a snack and a drink for all of you guys after we exercise," James pointed out. "What is it?" I asked. "You'll see," James told us. Two nice young ladies named Jenly and Kelsey served as our teachers. They started us off with some basic stretches on the mat. "This is just like physical education," Sarah pointed out. "Exactly," Jenly agreed. "I remember, I hated physical education at first," Sybil remembered, "but after a few weeks, I loved it!" "You were only a freshman back then, Sybil," James told his old friend. We stretched our body parts, such as our arms, legs, hands, fingers, feet, and toes. "This really strengthens our muscles, Sybil," James pointed out. "It seems to me like your muscles have gotten bigger, James," Sybil noticed. "I eat lots of protein for breakfast," James added. "Center-cut bacon, hard-boiled and scrambled eggs, ham slices, etc..." "I bet your snack is a protein snack," I remarked. "Is it grains?" Henri asked. "Is it fruits or vegetables?" Sarah asked. "Wild guess... peanut butter and bananas on whole-wheat bread?" Sybil asked. "Well, not exactly," James told Sybil. "I'll tell you after we exercise." Jenly and Kelsey showed us the hammocks. Sybil decided to sit down and watch us. We learned lots of different poses on the silks, such as standing, hanging upside down, swinging, and even making our own cocoons, which was something that Henri was very good at. "Look at Henri all bundled up in his little tent," I stated, laughing at him. "Imagine if more girls like you saw me acting so silly on the silk, Sybil," James told his friend. He sighed. "School Picture Day." "I know the feeling, James," I agreed. "I was there, and you were hiding under your covers, just like in that silk!" "I was worried, too," Sarah chimed in. "I felt like hiding under my covers, even though you and Benedict tried to help me." Henri came out hiding from under his silk. "Back when Benedict was a good boyfriend for you, Sarah," Henri added. "I don't think he really would have cared about the way you looked," I told my best friend. "In that case, let's act silly and do some neat poses on these silks!" James exclaimed. We all sat on our silk and did the silliest poses we could think of, while Sybil took our pictures. "Why is it that teenagers care so much about the way they look?" I asked. "Well, it's important to look your best for School Picture Day," Sarah pointed out. "But when you are just hanging around, having fun, and being silly while exercising, looks really are not that important," James added. "And, these don't go in the school yearbook, either," Henri added. We got out of our silks and James gave us a snack of basic homemade banana bread and juice to drink. "Mmm, this is really good, James," Sarah remarked. "Bread is such a yummy whole grain product," Henri pointed out. "This is even better than a peanut butter and banana sandwich," I stated. Pretty soon, it was time for me to go outside and wait for my bus. "Thanks for a great exercise session, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Navigating Doctor Visits

On a warm second Saturday of October 2017, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park to cook some foods with vegetables in them. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "I have made a lot of things using vegetables for us to eat for dinner: ginger sesame green bean stir-fry, broccoli stir-fry, fresh corn on the cob, and carrot cake for dessert, as well as beer to drink," I told my friends. "Wow, lots of vegetables!" Henri exclaimed. "That's a very good meal, Angel," James remarked. "Thanks, James," I replied. "That reminds me. We still have one more part of physical health to discuss. Besides eating healthy foods and exercising every day, there is something else we should do to maintain good physical health." "What's that, Angel?" Sarah asked. "Navigating doctor visits, of course," I replied. "Oh, of course," Sarah agreed. "Does anybody know why it is important to see the doctor regularly?" I asked. "I know why," James replied. "So, he or she makes sure that our bodies are strong and healthy, sort of like when I broke my wrist playing football in the backyard with Henri." "What types of doctors do you see?" I asked. "Like medical, specialists, therapists, etc.?" "I see all those types of doctors, but I also visit the eye doctor," Sarah replied. "Like the time when my old boyfriend, John Paul, took me to see an R-rated movie and needed to have my eyes checked." "Henri, when do you generally see your doctors?" I asked. "Oh, about once every two to four months," Henri replied. "Who usually makes your appointments?" "We do, Angel," James replied. "As a matter of fact, I made my doctor's appointment with Dr. Lee all by myself when I was 15 years old." "Good job, James," I praised my male friend. "Do you prepare before you go?" "Absolutely, Angel," Sarah replied. "It is important to have everything you need for a doctor's appointment, and I remembered all the letters on the chart that Dr. Siegel was showing me." "Do you find communicating with the doctors and staff difficult?" "Sometimes I do, Angel," Henri replied. "James, Sarah, what were some steps of visiting the doctor that you utilized?" I asked. "Well, we assembled lots of important things to take with us, Angel," Sarah replied, "such as my health insurance card." "Something fun to do in case I had to wait, such as my cell phone, magazines, books, crossword puzzles, or sudoku," James added. "Some sensory items, such as a fidget spinner or cube and a stress ball." "A list of questions or things I wanted to talk to the provider about." "A completed symptom worksheet." "Any logs or diaries related to my health." "Containers of all my current medications OR a list of all my current medications." "Any instructions or homework from an ER or hospital I have gone to recently that might be applicable." "Names, address, and directions to get to the office." "And anything else the provider asked me to bring." "Very good, guys," I praised my friends. "Now, what are some things you would have done after your visits to the doctor?" "Wait a minute, Angel," Henri chimed in. "Sometimes, doctors give me instructions for follow up, which are very important to follow." "That's right, Henri," I remarked. "Do you know why?" "To make sure we stay healthy, of course," Henri replied. "Sarah, James, what types of things might your doctors have asked you to do?" I asked my older friends. "They might have asked me to make a follow-up appointment," Sarah pointed out. "They might also have asked me to make an appointment with a professional they referred me to," James pointed out. "They might have required me to get a lab or x-ray of my eyesight," Sarah added. "They also might have required me to take medications as prescribed for my wrist to feel better," James added. "Now, let's role play pretending to schedule any recent doctor's appointments or the ones you guys made when you were teenagers with each other," I suggested. I role played scheduling a doctor's appointment with my former doctor Dr. Praniewicz from Lower Burrell for a terrible cold with Sarah, Sarah role played scheduling her eye doctor's appointment with her former doctor Dr. Siegel for terrible eyesight with James, and James role played scheduling his doctor's appointment with his former doctor Dr. Lee for his broken wrist with Henri. My cat, Mattie was watching us. "Your cat is so cute, Angel," Sarah told me. "Thanks, Sarah," I replied. I picked Mattie up and hugged her too tight. "You gotta put her down and give her space if she looks scared, Angel," Sarah told me. "I love her, though," I explained. "Show it in a different way," Sarah replied. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: All About Mental Health

One warm third Saturday in October 2017, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park to cook a yummy fried chicken dinner. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Is that fried chicken you have for us to eat there?" James asked. "It sure is," I replied. "Mmm, fried chicken is one of my favorite things to eat for dinner," Henri claimed. "I'm not sure if I should eat fried chicken, Angel," Sarah told me. "Why not, Angel?" I asked. "Because of what all we have been talking about," Sarah explained. "You see, chicken is one of my favorite types of poultry to cook next to turkey. It tastes good roasted, baked, broiled, or grilled, but not fried. Oh, and without skin or breading, too!" "Oh, but this is healthier fried chicken, Sarah," I told my friend. "This is walnut and rosemary oven-fried chicken, and it is all white meat!" "Oh good," Sarah told me. "At least there is no dark meat allowed." "I don't mean to be rude, Sarah, but this is related to issues with your mental health," James pointed out. "My what?" Sarah asked. "Problems with her brain," Henri stated, laughing. "Hey, that's not very nice!" Sarah snapped. "What is mental health anyway, Angel?" "Well, that's what I am asking you guys," I told my friends. "What does the term 'mental health' mean to you guys?" "I would define mental health as my mental state of mind, as well as my mental well-being," Sarah replied. "Mental health is defined as a situation when someone is different," Henri added. "I would define mental health by what people are thinking," James chimed in. "Good job, guys," I praised my friends. "Now, where have you guys heard the term 'mental health'?" "In psychology class at my high school," James answered. "From my parents and doctors, as well as accommodation, disability, and support services," Sarah replied. "TV, news, and ads on the bus," Henri added. "Those are all good reasons to define mental health, guys," I informed everyone, "but the World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." "Wow, Angel," Sarah remarked. "I never knew that." "Now, what kinds of things contribute to your mental health?" I then asked my friends. "I would say what people think of you, the friends you have, your diet, society and community, your childhood, and stress," James replied. "Maybe the news, interactions in your daily life, habits, environmental disasters, your work, and school," Henri added. "I think the weather and seasons, pets, physical health, hobbies, experiences from your past, and the environment may contribute to my mental health," Sarah pointed out. "I think so too, Sarah," I agreed. "Now, can you think of at least two situations from your childhood where mental health was important?" "Well, celebrating my 15th birthday at my house," Sarah replied. "How I was so excited for my special day with everything all planned out for me, and then my stepbrothers ruined it with showing me embarrassing photos from my childhood." "Why was your mental health important back then?" "It helped me remember things, live a "smooth sailing" life, helped me interact with others, allowed me to function, kept me healthy physically and mentally, was able to cope and manage my stressors while not being overwhelmed, and helped me problem solve." "Good," I remarked. "Now, can you think of another situation from your teenage years where mental health was important?" "How about when one of my good boyfriends, Benedict got suspended from middle school from drinking too much alcohol?" Sarah asked me. "How I was so sad and angry that Benedict made poor choices, and I would never see him again." "What types of things in your life did your mental health effect at the time?" "My attitude, how I thought, my social interactions, my relationships, my perception, my self-esteem, my productivity at school, my ability to think clearly and rationally, my habits, and my diets." "Okay, and here is how you know when you need to get help," I told everyone. "Just ask yourself these three questions: Am I experiencing unusual amounts of distress, am I having difficulty functioning, and are other people concerned about me?" "If I experience unusual amounts of distress, it can lead to dangerous thoughts or behavior, such as considering suicide or physically harming my body, last for a long time like weeks, months, or years, can seem out of proportion to my problems, I could feel distressed quickly and I am not sure why, I continue feeling bad even when good things happen, and I find that distress interferes with my ability to live life the way I want to live it," Sarah pointed out. "If I have difficulty functioning, I could have difficulty carrying out or completing my normal activities and responsibilities, be unable to do my class work or class work could have suffered because of the way I have been feeling or acting, have difficulty interacting with friends, classmates, or strangers, my behavior has damaged my relationships with friends or family members, and I have been avoiding people or important situations frequently because I have been feeling anxious," James added. "If other people are concerned about me, someone has recently told me that I have been acting differently, someone has recently told me that I have been treating people differently, other people are worried about how I have been acting, other people are finding it difficult to interact with me, and someone has expressed concern about my weight or my eating habits," Henri chimed in. "Now Sarah, the situation with your birthday was just typical distress, which usually began to subside after a few hours or days, usually had an identifiable cause, such as having an argument with a friend or loved one, performing poorly on a major test or assignment, receiving disappointing news, finding out a friend lied to you, or in your case, your brothers embarrassing you with moments from your past and messing up your special celebration, usually had a reasonable intensity given the circumstances, like crying for a few days after a romantic breakup, feeling butterflies in your stomach before a major exam or presentation, not talking to a friend for a time after he or she betrays your trust, or in your case, being anxious about your birthday celebration and wanting it to be perfect, and got better, at least briefly, when something good happened." "You're right, Angel," Sarah agreed with me. "I got to celebrate my birthday with the people I love and care about, and that's what mattered the most!" "As for the situation with Benedict and his drug problems, it was a distress that required special attention, and often did not subside for weeks, months, or even years, might not have had a clearly identifiable cause, such as crying frequently without knowing why, having angry outbursts at others for no apparent reason, feeling anxious in situations that are usually considered non-threatening, or in your case, not wanting to interact with or spend time with me, James, and Henri- your good friends, was often out of proportion to the circumstances, like feeling worthless or hopeless after performing poorly on an exam, having angry outbursts over small problems, avoiding classes or social situations because they made you feel very anxious, or in your case, never wanting to show your face in school or in the neighborhood ever again, and might not have gotten better even when something good happened." "Now that I think of it," Sarah pointed out, "I regret throwing away the good life I currently had at the time just because I was so mad and upset that my boyfriend, Benedict got kicked out of school." "Now Sarah, who did you ask for help in situations like these during your childhood?" "Oh, my parents and family, my support network, my friends, my therapist and counselors, my teachers, social services, support services, religious figures, my mentors, my regular doctor PCP or ER, and by resolving or googling it to look for local resources." "How did you ask for help in these situations?" "Well, I talked things out with my friends and family by writing down thoughts and emotions if that was easier, and it could be done face-to-face or over the phone or text if that was more comfortable, and sometimes, I talked to my doctor, since Doc Ready was a good place to start to help come up with ways to tell my doctor what was going on." "Let me tell you something, Sarah," I added. "The 6 keys to positive mental health are social connection, staying active, managing stress, a brain-healthy diet, quality sleep, and meaning and purpose." Then the 4 of us thought of ways we currently helped maintain our positive mental health: James interacted with people and pets and got lots of sleep, Sarah exercised and ate the right foods, Henri connected with his interests and made regular doctor's appointments, and I took care of my general well-being and kept my space clean and organized. I also suggested writing things down in a journal, thinking happy thoughts, and doing things I enjoyed doing more frequently. My cat, Mattie was watching us again. I abruptly picked her up and squeezed her, and she hissed at me right in front of my friends. "Is there any reason why you just hurt your cat right there, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "Maybe because I love her so much," I explained. "But, that is not showing love," Sarah pointed out to me. "So, that is something I want you to think about next time we meet." "Okay," I agreed. "I will do that. Now, do you still want to have fried chicken after tonight, or not?" "Well, only every once in a while," Sarah told me. "But, like I said, most of the time, I will stick with baked or grilled lean meats and poultry!" "I'm so proud of the way you guys all have matured over the years," I praised my friends. "Yes, James and Henri, you two." "Why thank you, Angel," Henri remarked. "That really means a lot to us," James agreed. "Well, I just don't know what I would do without my good friends like you." Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great dinner and evening, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: All About Social Health

One chilly Saturday evening in late October 2017, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park for an evening snack. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "I baked some chocolate chip cookies for a snack. Does anybody want some?" "Of course," James replied. "Mmm, chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite desserts to eat," Henri claimed, biting into a cookie. "Yeah, these are really good," James agreed. "These cookies remind me of some important times during my teenage years," Sarah admitted. "Like when?" I asked. "Oh, like the time I had to baby-sit you and Henri when James was away during his high school ski trip, and also when James came back from his ski trip to throw an end-of-summer house party that we were all invited to," Sarah remembered. "Uh-huh, and do you know why those times were so crucial to your life?" I asked. "No, why?" Sarah asked. "They related to your social health," I replied. "What the heck is social health, Angel?" Sarah asked. "Well, Sarah," I told my friend, "I believe that social health refers to interaction with other people, like your friends and family." "I think that social health refers to two-way communication and reciprocity," James added. "Social health refers to having fun with others," Henri chimed in. "Social health mainly refers to helping people feel better and resolving problems," Sarah pointed out. "Good points, guys," I agreed with my friends, "but social health can relate to a lot more things, such as both verbal and non-verbal communication, building and maintaining relationships, the way we interact with people in our environment, and our awareness of consequences or benefits to our behavior or actions in society." "Wow, I never knew that!" Sarah exclaimed. "Now, finish this sentence: When it comes to social health and communication, I want to work on or know more about..." I hinted. "How to read the emotional response of others during conversation, as well as people's interests, like hanging out," James replied. "I don't know, maybe icebreakers and combatting social anxiety with new people," Sarah told me. "Social appropriateness, such as knowing what information to share and disclosures," Henri pointed out. "Great ideas," I praised my friends. "Now, why else do you think social health is important? For one, it would help me understand people better." "It helps me form healthy relationships and friendships," James added. "It helps me solve others' problems and creates social harmony," Sarah pointed out. "It also prevents me from being isolated and develops companionship," Henri chimed in. "Well, I think social health is important," I told my friends, "because it is beneficial to have a support system in times of need, our social health is connected to our emotional health, social interaction can make us feel acceptance and a sense of belonging, and social isolation can make us more prone to physical and mental health problems." "Sarah, looking after me and Henri when James was gone was an example of a family relationship, and what were the benefits of that?" "Well, you guys were a source of support and strength, offered safety and protection, and provided companionship and help in times of need," Sarah replied. "Okay," I agreed. "Now James, your high school ski trip, as well as the after-party you threw when you got home were both examples of peer relationships, and what were the benefits of those?" "Well, they provided socialization, were a source of support, provided encouragement, helped me feel connected, and taught me new skills," James pointed out. "Good," I agreed. "Now, I understand you might not have experienced public health during your childhood, but Henri, why might this domain fall under the category of social health?" "Well, it involves watching out for others' well-being, disease prevention like being mindful when having a cold in order to limit spreading germs, promoting healthy habits and good decisions, and being a law-abiding citizen," Henri told me. "Now, let's think of some 'everyday' examples of social health," I told my friends. "Two-way communication with people like your peers and family," James replied. "Looking after younger siblings and going on outings," Sarah added. "Spending time with your family," Henri chimed in. "Being mindful of who you associate with, including making good choices and staying safe," I informed everyone. "Anything else?" "Theory of mind." "Outings with family or peers." "Speaking on the phone." "Using social media to connect with family or peers." "Covering your mouth when sneezing around others." "Communicating your needs." "Seeking help from others." "Being supportive." "Obeying the laws and rules." "And finally, accepting responsibility for your actions!" "So, if you have at least one close person you can go to in time of need, you regularly communicate with others, you are respectful of yourself and care about your family, you know how to disagree with others without getting angry or fighting, you can listen to others, you seek support from others when you need it, and you say no if people ask you to do something harmful or wrong, then you have good social health," I told my friends. "Okay then," James agreed with me. "Do you want to know some ways I improve my social health?" I asked. "How do you improve your social health, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "Well Sarah, I am friendly to people like my siblings, I listen to others when they speak, I set aside some time to disconnect from the phone or social media, even if it is just for an hour, I regulate my emotions by not letting anger or frustration get to me, I engage in fun activity with someone, I engage in a random act of kindness, I tell a friend I enjoy their company and am happy they are my friend, and I tell my family how much I care about them," I informed my friends. "Can you guys think of additional ways to improve your social health?" "I have conversations with other people and get out more, sit at the dinner table and converse, do group activities like Pokemon Go, watch comedy movies, and avoid hot topics during discussions," James told me. "I attend outings I am invited to, participate in activities with diverse people, play twitch interactive games with viewers, and play video games with my peers," Henri chimed in. "I attend outings with some more of my best friends Carly Shay and Alex Russo, as well as Carly's parents and Alex's guy friends, do projects with others, text, and have trivia night," Sarah added. "Now, those are great ways to improve social health," I agreed with my friends. "Now, who wants more cookies?" "I do," Henri replied. "I believe that we baked these cookies when James was away," Sarah told me. "No, we just played card games and ate snacks like potato chips, pretzels, and Doritos," I disagreed. "But, we also baked these cookies," Henri remembered. "I also remember serving chocolate chip cookies at my end-of-summer house party, along with pizza, tortilla chips, potato chips, salsa, dip, and soda," James added. "Trying new foods and snacks can also improve one's social health," I informed my friends. My cat, Mattie also came by. I just patted her gently on the head, and my friends liked that. "That is a much better way to treat your cat, and develop good social health with her, Angel," Sarah told me. "Yes, Sarah," I agreed. "It is." Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Improving Social Health

One mild Saturday in early November 2017, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Are you guys making anything for lunch tonight?" I asked. "No, we're not," James told me. "What would you like?" "I don't know," I replied. "How about lasagna?" "Sure," James replied. "I can make that." "Mmm, lasagna sounds yummy!" Henri exclaimed. "I've noticed you have been getting so polite when you communicate lately, Angel," Sarah told me. "I guess you guys have taught me a lot about proper communication skills," I told everyone. "Communication is very important at all stages in our life, even the times when I had to take care of Angel on her birthday and I was saying good-bye to one of my best friends, Alexander at high school graduation," James told us. "I think that communication is important because it involves talking to people," Henri chimed in. "Those two examples from my childhood were important because they involved reciprocity also known as two-way communication or unilateral communication and also maintaining relationships or planning outings," James added. "Uh-huh, because you supported me on my birthday and Sarah and I supported you on your high school graduation," I agreed. "I have always communicated with my professionals and teachers and communication also helps me understand people better," Sarah told me. "Good point, Sarah," I agreed with my friend. "I think that communication is important because it allows us to express our needs and desires, helps us maintain our relationships with our family and peers, allows us to interact with others in society in many settings like stores, restaurants, museums, and parks, gives us a social connection, and keeps us from being lonely," I added. "Now, I would also like to talk with you guys about nonverbal communication. What exactly is it?" "Nonverbal communication is communication without words, and it also involves using social media instead of face-to-face communication," Henri told me. "It is a form of communication that relies on visual cues to convey messages," James added. "Some elements it encompasses include social cues, eye contact, facial expression, body posture, and even hand gestures, which can be used to understand context and make inferences," Sarah informed me. "Good," I agreed. "Now, why is nonverbal communication important? I can tell you that it helps me understand what others are saying, limits communication barriers, and avoids being misinterpreted." "Nonverbal communication conveys important signals that are useful to understand what is said, how they feel, and questions you might ask," Sarah added. "It can show interest," Henri chimed in. "Right," James agreed with Henri. "Nonverbal communication can show whether the other person is engaged or interested in the conversation." "Okay," I agreed with my friends. "Now, social cues are important because they are signals that help guide conversation. Why else are social cues important?" "They can be verbal or nonverbal," Henri stated. "Some social cues are indirect, whereas others are indirect and more subtle," James added. "It can also relate to social appropriateness," Sarah pointed out, "for instance, certain settings narrow down behaviors and topics that are acceptable for that setting, like that you can't be loud in a library," Sarah pointed out. "At your birthday party, when you were eating your ice cream cake, I said 'That sure looked good' as you were eating, it might have signaled that I wanted you to share with me," James told me. "Or maybe, phrases that initiate conversations, like 'How's it going?' or 'How are you?' people usually want a short response," Henri told me. "When I looked at my watch and said 'It was getting late', at James's high school graduation, it could have signaled that I wanted to end the conversation," Sarah told me. "I think you were just getting bored with the graduation ceremony and wanted to leave," I pointed out. "Also, not giving eye contact might signal boredom and hint to change the topic." I paused for a second. "Another important element that ties into this category is eye contact, and why is it important?" "It is a skill utilized in most cultures during social interactions," Henri told me. "It shows some level of interest in the conversation or interaction," Sarah added, "but remember that making too much eye contact is viewed negatively in most cultures, and it can make others feel uncomfortable, like how it is important to avoid staring or stare-downs." "Eye contact can also be used to acknowledge someone, like as a greeting sometimes," James added. "It also shows respect to the other person, and a good example is an authority figure, parent, older adult, or teacher, asking for eye contact when they speak, which denotes that you are paying attention to them," I informed everyone. "To get around discomfort with eye contact, you could look at something directly behind the person," James told me. "Or, at the person's forehead," Henri chimed in. "You could also make brief glances, as the duration can be gradually increased," Sarah pointed out. "I could also practice with my family members and peers," I told my friends. "What about reading emotions?" "Someone's eyes and body can be used to communicate emotions and feelings," James stated, "like how sometimes a person might keep their eyes downward and head lowered when they are sad or disappointed." "Just because someone is crying does not mean they are sad," Sarah told me, "but it can also be happy, joyful, frustrated, or even in physical pain." "It can sometimes be difficult to read emotional expressions, since there are many different options," Henri chimed in. "Additionally, the facial expression one person makes might not look the same as someone else." "How do you guys improve your emotional recognition?" I asked. "I have a family member take pictures of themselves making various emotional expressions, which I would print and have them label the emotions on the back so it is hidden. This would allow me to practice reading expressions that I have trouble recognizing in free time, while making it into a fun exercise," Sarah told me. "There are computer and video games made specifically for improving facial expression identification," Henri added. "There are also phone and iPad apps related to reading emotions, although many are created for a younger audience, but still used by teens and adults," James pointed out. "Good," I praised my friends. "Now, why is reading body language important?" "It helps me to interact appropriately with others," Henri told me. "Body language is another element that can help you understand a number of things, including emotion," James added. "Body language has the ability to express more than words, and can also help you put things into context and make inferences," Sarah pointed out. "Reading people's body language is important for communication," I informed my friends. "Like if somebody says one thing, but expresses the opposite with their expression, tone of voice, and body stance, like how I did driving you around Natrona Heights on your birthday," James told me. "Someone with a clenched fist might be expressing anger or anxiety but alternatively, it might be an expression of solidarity, like when our group raises our fists," I added. "Crossed arms might signal resistance," Henri chimed in. "Some people also hold the belief that if you have trouble making eye contact, you might be lying to them, and it is a common tactic parents use with children," Sarah added. "I must admit that I had trouble making eye contact with James when he graduated high school, because it would be the last time I saw him for a long time." "How would you guys help me read body language?" I asked. "You could look for context, like the environment, what is being discussed, and emotional expressions," James suggested. "After factoring in these things, you can use your judgment to better make sense of their body language." "But, if you are unsure, you can ask, but make sure you are polite and respectful to limit being misinterpreted," Sarah suggested, "for instance, maybe you notice someone else fidgeting with their jacket as you speak to them, and you might say something along the lines of 'I notice you are fidgeting around a lot as we are talking. Is something bothering you?' But, if they would say no, you can switch topics to avoid causing discomfort or tension." "Again, I would practice with my family members and peers," Henri reiterated. "Nice job, guys," I praised my friends, "but I would also keep in mind that it is OK to not understand everything, and more subtle body language can be harder to pick up on. Additionally, many people have trouble reading body language." I finished my lasagna. "Mmm, that was really good," I stated. "You must have sounded like you loved the lasagna," James told me. "That's right, James," I agreed with him, "because it was turkey sausage and spinach lasagna, which is the best lasagna!" "And, it is healthier for you, too," Sarah pointed out. Later that day, we did a practice exercise at Tessaro's in Bloomfield with Emily and her younger siblings Kerry, Caden, Allison, and Tony. Sarah got paired up with Kerry, James got paired up with Caden, I got paired up with Allison, and Henri got paired up with Tony. Sarah talked with Kerry about what it is like to have older siblings graduate from high school, James talked with Caden about how he would throw a surprise party for his younger siblings or best friends, Henri talked with Tony about popular toys for young boys, and I talked with Allison about this past summer and how she enjoyed day camp. I also told Allison how I liked playing board games at my mom's apartment just before meeting Emily on May 13, visiting the comic book store and Milkshake Factory in the South Side on May 20, going to Trivia Night at Hough's on May 27, seeing Hippo Campus at the Three Rivers Arts Festival on June 3, playing disc golf at Schenley Park on June 10, celebrating James's birthday at the 24 in 24 Gallery on June 15, touring the Pittsburgh Glass Center on June 24, touring Mt. Washington and riding the Incline on July 1, seeing _Spider-Man Homecoming_ at the Waterfront on July 8, and finally, the mid-summer party and improvisation at the Mistles' house on July 15, where James and Michael also took portraits of me, Sarah, Henri, Emily, and Erin. I even showed her a video on Instagram of me, Sarah, James, Henri, Emily, Michael, and Erin doing the Improvisation by spinning around and having fun. "Wow, you must have had a lot of fun that day," Allison told me. "I wish I could have fun like that!" "Didn't you have fun at summer camp, though?" I asked. "Yes, but you, Emily, Michael, and Erin seem to have a lot more fun, and your other friends seem to have more fun, too." "You're only 7 though, Allison," I pointed out. I also told her about the outings that the 4 of us did with Carly Shay and her parents, including breakfast at the Original Pancake House on July 22, exercising at Muv Integrated Physical Center and having lunch at Primanti Bros. on July 29, bowling and playing arcade games at Zone 28 on August 10, visiting the National Aviary on August 12, and going to the Pirates Game on August 19, as well as the outings that the 4 of us did with Alex Russo and her guy friends, including seeing _Wonder Woman_ at Loew's Waterfront Theater on July 23, eating dinner at Roland's Seafood Grill on July 30, going to Sandcastle Water Park on August 11, having a discussion group and Chinese food in Squirrel Hill on August 13, and going to Kennywood Park on August 20. Allison also told me about swimming, hiking, sports, arts and crafts, music, and theater at summer camp. Sarah, James, and Henri also tried different condiments that Emily's siblings liked, like hummus, barbecue sauce, and tapenade. It was time for all of us to go home. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


End file.
